Wire-fence machine.



n No. 821,112. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. I. N. MORFORD.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLIUATION'PILBD 00T. a1, 1905.

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ISAAC NEWTON MORFORD, OF WAYNESVILLE, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 22, 1906.

Application filed October 31, 1905. Serial No. 285,246.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo NEWTON MOR- FORD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at vWaynesville, in the county of Dewitt and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Wire Fences, of which the following is a specication.

This invention is aV machine for making wire fences, and particularly for twisting stay-wires onto the line-wires.

The object of the invention is to form an improved portable machine which can be cheaply constructed and which will be efficient and rapid in operation. l

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig, 3 is a plan of a twisting-tool.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 and 7 indicate two standards conveniently formed of piping. These are joined by short couplings 8 and 9 at top and bottom, respectively, said couplings having at the ends sleeves 10, through which the standards extend. The couplings can be raised or lowered on the standards and fixed at adjustment by set-screws 11. The adjustment accommodates the machine to fences of various heights, the couplings being set, respectively, at the top and bottom wires, Each coupling-bar has projecting therefrom at the middle a forked catch 12. The bottom catch rests upon the bottom wire 13, and the upper catch is placed under the `top line-wire, the stay-wires 14 passing between the forks of the catches. This serves to prevent the top and bottom wiresbeing drawn toward each otherl during the twisting operation and also acts to guide or hold the stay-wires in place.

The bar 7 hook over the line-wires, and the number of hooks may be varied according to the number of such wires. They serve to keep the wires at the uniform or desired distance apart and also to support the standards beside the fence. The standard 7 also has projecting laterally therefrom-that is, lengthwise the fence-an arm 16, which is offset and forked at the end, as at 17, to engage one of the line-wires of the fence, preferably the has a series of hooks 15, which middle wire, and the engagement is maintained by a pivoted latch 18, which is adapted to hook over the wire. The arm 16 is also braced and supported by two curved arms 19, connected to said arm 16 by bolts 20, which work in slots 21. The arms 16 and 19 are pivotally connected to the standards 7 by bolts at 22. The slotted connection is made so that the arm 16 may be shifted up or down to a limited extent to bring the fork 17 at .the proper height to engage the line-wire.

vThe tool (shown in Fig. 3) by which the wire is twisted consists of a pair of oppositely-extending handles 23, between which is a block 24, having a rounded slot 25 of proper size and sufficient depth to receive two of the stay-wires.

In operation the standards are set up beside the fence and fixed thereto by the hooks 15 and the arm 16. The two stay-wires used, which are cut about six inches longer than the height of the fence, are then placed one on each side of the line-wires and between the forks 12 and the loose ends wound around the top and bottom wires. Then the twisting-tool (shown in Fig. 3) is applied to the 'stay-wires and turned, twisting the staywires together upon the line-wires and forming the stay, as shown, after which the machine is moved to the place of the next stay. As will be seen, the machine can be slid along after disengaging the stay from the forks 12. The top and bottom wires being held apart or in a rigid position by the forks, the stay-wires can be twisted just as tight as the tensile strength of the wire will admit. The top and bottom wires being held solid by the forks gives practically a rigid wire to twist against all the time and at the same time maintain the regular distance between the intermediate wires.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A wire-fence machine comprising a pair of standards, one of which has hooks engageable with line-wires, and upper and lower coupling-bars having sleeves at the ends fitting around the standards and adjustable up and down thereon, and also having projecting forks to engage opposite ends of the staywires while they are being twisted.

In testimony whereof I Vhave signed my name to this specification in the presence of 1o tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ISAAC NEWTON MORFORD.

Witnesses MUREE SooTT, ESTELLA SCOTT. 

